Are you a left wing extremist? Here's Joe Klein's definition:

[babylonsister]

http://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/03/since_you_asked.html

Since you asked
Posted by Joe Klein | Comments (407) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This

A left-wing extremist exhibits many, but not necessarily all, of the following attributes:

--believes the United States is a fundamentally negative force in the world.

--believes that American imperialism is the primary cause of Islamic radicalism.

--believes that the decision to go to war in Iraq was not an individual case of monumental stupidity, but a consequence of America’s fundamental imperialistic nature.

--tends to blame America for the failures of others—i.e. the failure of our NATO allies to fulfill their responsibilities in Afghanistan.

--doesn’t believe that capitalism, carefully regulated and progressively taxed, is the best liberal idea in human history.

--believes American society is fundamentally unfair (as opposed to having unfair aspects that need improvement).

--believes that eternal problems like crime and poverty are the primarily the fault of society.

--believes that America isn’t really a democracy.

--believes that corporations are fundamentally evil.

--believes in a corporate conspiracy that controls the world.

--is intolerant of good ideas when they come from conservative sources.

--dismissively mocks people of faith, especially those who are opposed to abortion and gay marriage.

--regularly uses harsh, vulgar, intolerant language to attack moderates or conservatives.

more...

[wryter2000]

1. Here's another one

--believes Joe Klein should go Cheney himself.

[mike_c]

2. I am a PROUD left wing extremist....

:rofl:

I couldn't have summarized most of my political beliefs any better if I'd done it myself. Joe Klein is spot on!

[IndianaGreen]

3. Joe Klein was a frequent TV commentator on "Primary Colors"

a quasi-fictional account of the Clinton's 1992 primary race. The book was published with an "Anonymous" as an author, even though the Beltway insiders knew full well that Joe Klein was the author. It was very disingenous of Klein to present himself as an unbiased source and commentator on the book which he had written.

So much for Klein's integrity!

[ananda]

4. Yes!

She said proudly.

[grasswire]

5. What Joe Klein fails to note...

...is that many Americans would have different answers if they were allowed to add the words "under Bush" to some of the items.

Example:

believes that America isn't really a democracy (under Bush)

Conservatives ought to know that their standing in public opinion has been horribly damaged by Bush-Cheney.

[napi21]

6. Well damn! I guess I don't know! I agree with 6 out of 13. What am I now?

It can't make me a conservative! I guess I'min limbo AGAIN!

[Guaranteed]

19. Which ones?

Sounds like you're doing just about right.

[johnaries]

7. "--regularly uses harsh, vulgar, intolerant language ..."

...to attack moderates or conservatives"

Oh, does he mean like calling candidates "faggot" or telling Congressmen to go fuck themselves?

Well, here's a harsh, vulgar, intolerant word for you - HYPOCRITE!

If the shoe fits...

[Double T]

8. Using joe's model and definition: FAR left wing extremist HERE!!!!

[Fenris]

9. That's a fairly vague list

--believes the United States is a fundamentally negative force in the world.

Is that "has always been" or "has become." Because if you said that the United States has become a "fundamentally negative force in the world," say, in the past six years, you are not wrong.

--believes that American imperialism is the primary cause of Islamic radicalism.

"American imperialism" is a pretty ill-defined term, Joe. Do you consider attempts by the United States to control various territories and their commodities imperialism? Because, while not the primary cause of Islamic radicalism, it certainly is a factor.

--believes that the decision to go to war in Iraq was not an individual case of monumental stupidity, but a consequence of America’s fundamental imperialistic nature.

See above. Also, why can't it be both.

--tends to blame America for the failures of others—i.e. the failure of our NATO allies to fulfill their responsibilities in Afghanistan.

Okay, now that's just an awkward statement. If one blames the United States for ignoring Afghanistan while going on a fool's errand in Iraq, is that blaming the United States for the failures of others?

--doesn’t believe that capitalism, carefully regulated and progressively taxed, is the best liberal idea in human history.

Well, I happen to believe freedom of thought, of religion, of the press, and from the tyranny of monarchy is the best liberal idea in human history, but you go ahead and cling to idyllic capitalism.

--believes American society is fundamentally unfair (as opposed to having unfair aspects that need improvement).

What if what needs changing is a fundamental aspect of American society?

--believes that eternal problems like crime and poverty are the primarily the fault of society.

Poverty is the result of the inherent shortcomings of the market economy, and most crime is the result of poverty.

--believes that America isn’t really a democracy.

It's not. It's a democratic republic.

--believes that corporations are fundamentally evil.

Corporations are fundamentally amoral. And you really like the word "fundamentally," don't you.

--believes in a corporate conspiracy that controls the world.

No, corporations influence foreign and domestic policy, they don't control.

--is intolerant of good ideas when they come from conservative sources.

Find me one, Joe.

--dismissively mocks people of faith, especially those who are opposed to abortion and gay marriage.

I notice you left out "fundamentalist." I thought you liked that word?

--regularly uses harsh, vulgar, intolerant language to attack moderates or conservatives.

As opposed to self-styled moderates who make blanket accusations about people on the left?

[Up2Late]

10. Of course, it couldn't possibly be that when viewed from the Extreme Right...

...even moderate and middle of the road "lefties" tend to look like the "extreme Left" could it? No, that's imposable.:banghead:

Hell, I'd say I'm Middle Left (middle of the Left wing, not middle as in Centrists) and I totally agree with 90% of that. Most of the other 10% is just Extreme Right crazy talk though, which I doubt any sane person actually believes. :crazy:

[rock]

11. Try substituting bush* administration for America (or the US)

Then I believe most of these.

[katsy]

12. definition of joel klein

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/shit

""""shit (sht) KEY Vulgar Slang

VERB:
shit , also shat (sht) KEY shit·ting , shits
VERB:
intr.
To defecate.
VERB:
tr.
To defecate in.
To tease or try to deceive.
NOUN:
1. Excrement.
2. The act or an instance of defecating.
3. shits Diarrhea. Used with the.
4. Something considered disgusting, of poor quality, foolish, or otherwise totally unacceptable.
5. A mean or contemptible person.
6. A narcotic or intoxicant, such as marijuana or heroin.
7. Things; items.
8. Foolish, deceitful, or boastful language.
9. Insolent talk or behavior.
10. Trouble or difficulty.
11. A small or worthless amount: He doesn't know shit.""""

May I add:

12. JOEL KLEIN

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. well, let's see

yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes,
and more.

[baldguy]

14. Why should I care what Joe Klein thinks?

[SOS]

15. American capitalism

is "carefully regulated and progressively taxed"?
News to me.

[Morgana LaFey]

16. Yep. That's me. Mostly.

And NOW I know why Joe Klein rubs me the wrong damn way most of the time. And why I consistently find him a Bush enabler.

aka: A GOOD German.

[Moderate Dem]

17. Wow, I don't believe one of those things.

Then again, I don't consider myself an extremist.

[Guaranteed]

18. Some of that is. Some of that isn't.

I guess it's just like most things, right Joe? You're right sometimes, you're wrong sometimes.

[WorldResident]

20. I only believe one of those things

--believes that eternal problems like crime and poverty are the primarily the fault of society.

The rest of those statements I disagree with.